READY, SET, GO! A Wildfire Readiness Guide for Property Owners

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1 WILDFIRE READY, SET, GO! A Wildfire Readiness Guide for Property Owners San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District 1500 Bollinger Canyon Road San Ramon, CA (925)

A Message from the Fire Marshal Dear Property Owner: Each year, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District notifies property owners of exterior hazard abatement requirements.

2 A Message from the Fire Marshal Dear Property Owner: Each year, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District notifies property owners of exterior hazard abatement requirements. The term exterior hazard abatement is used to address any overgrowth of grasses, weeds, shrubbery or trees. Exterior hazard abatement standards have been designed to minimize fire hazards throughout the District, which in turn reduces the risk of loss of life and property. Through abatement efforts all property owners and citizens can be assured of a safer fire season. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District appreciates the patience and understanding of all property owners with regard to this annual process. The work we may ask you to do on your property is intended to protect you and your neighbors. We realize there are costs associated with this type of work; however, the benefit to you and your neighbors far outweighs any expenditure which you may incur. As always, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District will be happy to answer questions you may have concerning the annual Exterior Hazard Abatement Program. Please contact the District s Fire Prevention Division at (925) Additional information about the District s Exterior Hazard Abatement Program, as well as an abatement contractor resource list, is available on the District s website at Thank you in advance for your compliance with the District s Exterior Hazard Abatement Standards and for making San Ramon Valley homes and businesses safer through your efforts. Your Fire District is dedicated to protecting your life and property through this program. Sincerely, Christina Kiefer Fire Marshal 1

3 ALL PROPERTIES How to comply Compliance must start by creating 100 feet of defensible space around your home. This area is the space firefighters need to get between your home and an oncoming fire. Follow the simple steps outlined here to make sure your house is wildfire safe and compliant with San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District s Exterior Hazard Abatement Standards. These standards apply to all properties in the Hazard Abatement Program and steps must be completed by June 1. VEGETATION 1. All abatement must be maintained throughout the fire season. 2. Abate 100 feet around your home and all other structures on your property. This can be achieved through landscaping or by mowing dry brush or native grasses to a height of three (3) inches or less. 3. Properties that are one acre or less must be 100% abated or completely landscaped. 4. Properties over an acre have additional compliance standards, please see page Remove all debris and rubbish from your property and all public ways. Limb trees up 5 feet from the ground. TREES 1. Maintain all trees on your property. 2. Limb trees up 5 feet from the ground within 100 feet of structures and within 10 feet of roadways. 3. Keep tree limbs at least 5 feet above rooftops and 10 feet away from chimneys/stovepipes. 4. Remove all dead trees from your property. ACCESS 1. Abate 10 feet on both sides of all roadways. 2. Ensure that your property has proper addressing that is visible from the street. 3. Be sure fire vehicles can access your home. Ensure you have a vertical clearance of at least 13 feet 6 inches above all roadways; this includes tree canopies, awnings and trellises. 4. If you have an electronic gate preventing access to your home, make sure you have a key switch allowing emergency crews access to your property. Key switch information can be obtained by calling the Fire District at (925) or visiting OTHER 1. Ensure that your chimney is equipped with an approved spark arrestor. 2. Clear away leaves, needles, twigs and other combustible materials from your roof and gutters. 3. Keep all wood piles stacked neatly. Clear away weeds and other combustible materials 30 feet around wood piles. Service Providers San Ramon Valley Fire does not make recommendations concerning abatement service providers. We do however maintain a list of providers in our area. Please visit www. firedepartment.org/abatement to view and print this list. 2

OVER AN ACRE How to comply Large properties, open spaces and agricultural land have additional compliance measures to ensure wildfire readiness.

4 OVER AN ACRE How to comply Large properties, open spaces and agricultural land have additional compliance measures to ensure wildfire readiness. If your property is over an acre in size, you must comply with the standards listed for all properties on page 2 as well as those listed below. PROPERTIES OVER AN ACRE 1. Compliant properties over an acre but under five acres must be either 100% abated/landscaped or have a 15 foot disced or bladed fuelbreak installed along the perimiter of the property. 2. Compliant properties over five acres must be either 100% abated/landscaped or have a 15 foot disced or bladed fuelbreak installed along any portions of the property that borders a developed parcel or subdivision. 3. Parcels 10 acres or more shall provide a 15-foot crossbreak to divide the parcel into approximately 5-acre sections. 4. Please note, if a fuelbreak cannot be disced due to terrain or other factors, a mowed fuelbreak, a minimum of 60 feet wide, may also be acceptable. 5. Abatement by burning is unlawful unless an appropriate burn permit is obtained from both the Fire District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Please contact the Fire Prevention Division at (925) for burn permit information. Wildfire Fact: Between 2000 and 2008 wildfires in California claimed more than three dozen lives, destroyed more than 11,300 structures, caused more than $1.8 billion dollars in damages and cost more than $3 billion dollars to fight. 3

DEFENSIBLE SPACE Create 100 feet 100 feet Protect your home! Create 100 feet of defensible space around all structures. This area should be landscaped or mowed to 3 inches or below.

5 DEFENSIBLE SPACE Create 100 feet 100 feet Protect your home! Create 100 feet of defensible space around all structures. This area should be landscaped or mowed to 3 inches or below. Maintain this space throughout fire season. Be Fire Smart! Use Fire Resistant Plants in your Landscape A fire resistant landscape can increase your property value and conserve water while beautifying your home. A fire safe landscape uses fire resistant plants that are strategically placed to resist the spread of fire to your home. Learn More The Be Water Wise program allows users to learn about water wise and fire resistant plants that are best suited for their landscape. Users can search by color of leaves or flowers, height, sun/shade requirements, soil types and even blooming habits. Check it out at Additionally, view a list of local nurseries who carry fire resistant plants by visiting 4

6 WILDFIRE What is it? Fire is and will always be a natural part of the beautiful area where we have chosen to live. A wildfire is characterized as an uncontrolled, sweeping and destructive fire especially in the wilderness, rural areas, or in the wildland urban interface. THE WILDFIRE ENVIRONMENT Fire experts have long-recognized three basic components to wildfire: weather, fuel and terrain. Together these three items affect the probability of a fire starting, how fast it moves and the level of difficulty it will be to control. WEATHER Dry, hot and windy weather increases the chance of a major wildfire. High winds in particular can transform a small, easily controlled fire into a catastrophic event. Watch for Red Flag warnings during fire season. To find out more on Red Flag warnings, visit abatement. FUEL Fuel is required for any fire to burn. In a wildfire, fuels can be living vegetation such as trees, shrubs, brush or grass; dead plant materials such as dead trees, dried grass or fallen branches and even homes can become fuel when in the path of a wildfire. Creating a defensible space around structures significantly lowers the risk of your home becoming fuel for the wildfire. TERRAIN Of all the types of topographic features, steepness of slope is among the most influential on fire behavior. The steeper the slope, the faster a fire will spread. WANT TO LEARN MORE? The Fire District offers FREE classes for residents on wildfire preparedness. Homeowners who live near open spaces or have wildland adjacent to their property are encouraged to sign-up for a free Ready, Set, Go Workshop. Learn about home ignition zones, defensible space, fire resistant construction and emergency evacuation planning for your family. Classes are held at the Fire District s Administrative Offices located at 1500 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon. Preregistration is required. Reserve your spot today. Wednesday, July 10 6:00-8:30 p.m. Training Classroom Sign up by calling (925) or on line at 5

7 BE WILDFIRE READY Ready, Set, Go! The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District takes every precaution to help protect you and your property from wildfire. However the reality is that during a major fire event we simply do not have enough fire engines or firefighters to defend every home. We need your help! The Ready, Set, Go program was established to provide you with the information you will need to protect your family and your home. Take a look at the simple tips below on how you can make your home and family wildfire safe. READY Long before the fire threatens get ready! Ready your home and property by meeting the abatement standards on pages 2 and 3 of this compliance guide. Make a plan! Plan your evacuation routes and pack an emergency kit for your family that can be quickly put in your car. Make a list of important items you will need in the event of an evacuation. Find lists on what should go in your emergency kit and on your important items list by visiting our website at SET When evacuation seems likely, put your plan into action. If you have planned well and prepared your home, you will be set to go! Use your list of important items and collect them in a box that is easily carried. Load your box of important items and your emergency kit into your car. Be sure to close all doors, both inside and outside your home. Also, shut all windows. Remove light curtains and other thin combustibles from windows. Leave exterior lights on. This can help firefighters find your home in the smoke. Bring lawn furniture, dog beds and other combustible items inside the house and cluster them in the center of a room. Lock up your house. GO Leave Early! Don t wait to be told to evacuate. Authorities may not have enough time to order an evacuation. If you feel threatened, leave on your own initiative. Obey all evacuation orders. Drive calmly with your headlights on for visibility. Do not block the access roadway for fire trucks and emergency personnel. *Please note, the tips on this page are for your preparation only, if at anytime during a fire event you feel your life is in danger, evacuate immediately. 6

8 2013 San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District 1500 Bollinger Canyon Road San Ramon, CA PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID SAN RAMON, CA PERMIT NO. 243

The Home Ignition Zone

The Home Ignition Zone Dear Wisconsin Homeowner: Research has shown that the characteristics of buildings and their immediate surroundings determine the risk of ignition during a wildfire. That s why preparing your home and